


The eyes of Judas

by JediBatman



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Drama & Romance, Established Relationship, F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, Gen, Older Woman/Younger Man, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-05-30 12:39:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15096905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JediBatman/pseuds/JediBatman
Summary: Dr. Evelyn Ferguson is an Art History professor. She tries to maintain a balance between her work as professor, a mother of four, a wife to an enstranged husband, and Luke, her lover.Should Evelyn end her marriage as her heart and logic dictate? Or should she give her marriage another chance as convention says?Things go out of control the night her dark secret is revealed. A suicide attempt is the trigger that will either lead her to the arms of her husband or to the arms of her lover. Who will she choose?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is mostly a love story with some dramatic moments. It is set in the Batman Universe but Bruce Wayne/Batman himself and his trusted servant Alfred only make cameo appearances that have minor relevance to the plot. 
> 
> There are also some James Bond references just for the fun of (they are plot relevant though). Just assume 007 is a fictional and well-known hero in the Batman Universe as well. 
> 
> The story is mainly a love story with minor action sequences (very few and very short ones). I just wanted to put it in the Batman Universe because it is a world I really like.

The smartphone in Evelyn's handbag rung. 

“Damn it!” she whispered. Only one person's number corresponded to that specific ringtone in her smartphone, reminding the James Bond main theme. It was her lover Luke. She had forbidden him from calling her unless it was absolutely necessary. Why had he called? Hadn't she already told him her husband suspected her?

Dr. Evelyn Ferguson, Associate Professor in Art History took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Luke had always listened to her during the two years they had been together and never had done anything against her wishes. If he had called, something serious had happened. So she stood up, got in a quiet corner of the room and accepted the call. 

“Yes Luke? What is it?” she said trying to sound calm and professional. She didn't want anyone in the room to suspect anything.

“Evelyn? Your husband called me” There was sadness in his voice, and he sounded as if he was... crying? 

“Calm down. What are you talking about Luke? My husband?” Evelyn was shocked. How?

“He called me a few minutes ago. He... he...” He could hear Luke almost choked. He was very hesitant.

Luke was a sensitive young man. It was one of the reasons Evelyn loved him so much. He expressed his feelings to her, he cried when had to, and always cared about how she felt. She found it so strange that a twenty-two-year-old man was so mature compared to men thirty years older than him.

Despite him being half her age, they were a match. And as her lover for the past two years, he had offered her moments of great physical and emotional pleasure, moments she so much treasured.

“Luke, listen to me. I never told my husband a thing.”

“Then how did he know so many details Evelyn? He knew my phone, my address, my job. He was so furious.”

“I don't know Luke. Perhaps he hired a private investigator.”

“He accused me for destroying his marriage with you Evelyn. He screamed, he threatened, he said that was just the beginning. He said he would take care of me. And he didn't sound as if he was bluffing. “

“That's his style, that's all. He barks but never bites. Calm down Luke.”

“I can't. It is my fault. I destroyed your marriage. How could I...”

One other thing Evelyn loved in Luke was his sense of personal responsibility. He never blamed others for his mistakes. Sometimes though he blamed himself too much.

“No, no, no. You didn't destroy a thing. It all had ended years ago and...”

“I am so sorry”. She could hear him crying. “I should never...”

So her husband knew. Too bad... but perhaps that was the best way for things to go. Her marriage had died years ago. It only existed in name.

“Luke, do you trust my judgment?”

“Always Evelyn. Always.”

“It is not your fault. Period. OK? Now, there is a speech by Bruce Wayne, our Gotham City billionaire about to start. I will call you when it is over. OK?” She tried to sound calm and friendly.

“OK. Listen. May I send you an SMS if I need anything? I probably won't but...”

“OK Luke. Now, I must go. Bye handsome.”

“Bye Evelyn. I love you.”

 

So her husband knew. She could phone him to ask for more details, but she was not on speaking terms with him anymore. How stupid of her to think there was even a slight chance to save her marriage and prevent Luke from calling and meeting her more often because of that.

An announcer approached the podium to say Bruce Wayne would be a few minutes late. She decided to use the time to call her lawyer. Perhaps he knew.

“Yes Dr. Ferguson. I would have informed you on Monday morning myself. I received an e-mail from your husband's lawyer. Can you guess what was attached in it?” His tone was a bit accusatory.

“No Mr. Stevens what was it?”

“Two photos with you wearing a blue dress. There was a man next to you, a man about half your age. In the first one you are just walking together. In the second one you were kissing him.”

Evelyn had worn a blue dress the previous week when she had met Luke. They had gone for drinks and then to his place for the night.

“You never told me anything Dr. Ferguson. How am I supposed to properly represent you when I don't know all the facts?”

“Mr. Stevens, I didn't know my husband knew. I only found out myself a few minutes ago. Listen, I have full confidence in you. Can you incorporate that information to your strategy representing me?"

“I can but we have no chances anymore. The divorce will be against you. And the lawyer also told me they have arranged a meeting with a judge next week for a speedy divorce process. Do we accept the invitation? Do you want to think of it?”

Evelyn thought it a bit. It was time to move on, wasn't it? 

“I don't have to think. Just e-mail him we accept. Anything else?”

“No, that will be all.”

 

Dr. Ferguson went back to her chair to listen to Bruce Wayne's speech about modern art. About thirty minutes into the speech, she sensed a vibration in her handbag, a vibration indicating someone had sent her an SMS in her smartphone. 

She immediately got worried. She had given permission to Luke to send her a written message in case something went wrong. What had happened so soon? 

Evelyn was generally against sending or reading text messages during speeches but under the circumstances she decided to make an exception. She opened her handbag, picked up her smartphone, pressed the button that activated the screen, started reading...

The phone fell from her hands.

The next moment Evelyn picked her smartphone from the floor, grabbed her coat from the chair and run to the door. She knew she embarrassed herself, but she didn't care. As soon as she exited the room, she removed her high heel shoes to run faster and rushed to the museum exit. 

An elderly man was about to enter a taxi. She knew it was rude to take it from him, but she had no option. She looked at the man. He was a colleague from the University. She would have to apologize to him but that would have to wait for the moment.

The taxi rushed to the address Evelyn gave its driver. Meanwhile, she reread the SMS Luke had sent her.

“HELP ME! I ATTEMPTED SUICIDE...”


	2. The first time they met

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn meets Luke for the first time in a cafeteria. He is a waiter there. When his shift ends, he asks her to go to dinner. 
> 
> Will Evelyn accept?

August 15th 2017.

 

It was a hot and humid summer day. Dr. Evelyn Ferguson was sitting alone in a cafeteria watching a basketball game on TV. Her husband was in New York on a business trip and her four children were with her parents in Los Angeles. Evelyn was alone... and feeling lonely.

Evelyn Ferguson was an attractive woman. She was almost one eighty tall, slim, elegant, with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes and a cute round face that made her look younger than the forty-two years she really was. 

The basketball game was a friendly match between two NBA teams. She didn't care which was which and who was winning. Her mind was wandering to her problems, to her mostly absent and always indifferent husband, to her inability to communicate with her eldest daughter... 

The halftime came, and a young — and good-looking as Evelyn had to admit — waiter came to refill her coffee cup. The TV was broadcasting a brief news segment when...

“English actor Daniel Craig will return as the legendary secret agent 007. After months of speculation Craig decided to play James Bond for a fifth time...” 

“This is great news!” the waiter said. Evelyn was happy as well. She was a huge James Bond fan. 

“I have seen all of the movies at least twice”, Evelyn replied. 

“All Daniel Craig movies Dr. Ferguson?”

“No. All Bond movies.” Then she stopped. “Hey, wait a minute!”

“Yes Dr?”

“How do you know my name?” There was a slight hostility in her voice. The waiter realized it and lowered his head as if ashamed.

“I was one of your students, that's all. Medieval History and Early Renaissance history.” Dr. Ferguson felt stupid. Most of her hundreds of students came from middle and low income families. Besides, she had been a waitress herself when she was an Art History student.

“I am sorry. You are right. I have hundreds of students. What is your name?”

“My name is Luke, Dr. Ferguson. I work as a waiter to cover my expenses.”

Luke went back to work and Evelyn back to her thoughts. The two NBA teams went back to the field for the second half-time. Evelyn looked at Luke again. He was one eighty tall, cute, black hair and brown eyes, clean shaved, baby face, the type that looks like an artist ... and the type she found really attractive.

An idea crossed her mind. What if she ... Well she was alone in Gotham City and it wouldn't hurt if ... purely on a friendly basis ... and ... “No Evelyn”, she whispered to herself. “No, no, no, a thousand times no!”

An hour passed and the sun was about to set. Evelyn managed to watch some of the game and convince herself that eating alone for the night was not such a bad idea. There was an excellent fish restaurant nearby that served an excellent shrimp spaggeti she really liked. She paid the bill, stood up ready to leave when ...

“I just finished my shift Dr. Ferguson. I was about to leave and I can see that you are leaving as well. Therefore, would you like ... to” Luke was very hesitant to speak as Evelyn could observe. He must be very shy, she thought.

No Evelyn, she told herself. She had a really bad feeling about this. Dinner with some wine, then some more wine, then some more wine, then an invitation to his place ... or hers... On the other hand ...

“To join you for dinner Luke? I would be delighted!” she replied. He was good-looking, she thought for a second time. But she was an adult, and she knew how to say no to a man. She would be very restrained. Right? 

Right?


	3. A dinner for two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn has accepted Luke's invitation. They have dinner and they both have a great time. They also meet Bruce Wayne, the famous billionaire.
> 
> Evelyn has a great time. But should she continue meeting Luke?

The Golden Shrimp was one of the best restaurants in Gotham City. It served all kinds of food. Its specialty was — obviously — shrimps. 

Evelyn loved the Golden Shrimp. It was an excellent restaurant with a magnificent view of the Gotham City Narrows. It was also not so well-known which meant both that its prices were reasonable and that not so many people visited it. 

There was at least one celebrity in Gotham City who knew the restaurant though. He was no other than Bruce Wayne, the celebrity billionaire. Evelyn had seen him many times eating there, each time with a different woman. 

Evelyn and Luke entered the restaurant. Luke wore a white shirt, black trousers, and black shoes. Evelyn wore a long blue dress and flat white shoes. They chose a table next to the window. A few minutes later a waiter came, and they both ordered shrimps in red sauce with spaghetti. 

“It is my favorite dish here”, Luke said. Evelyn smiled. 

“So is mine”, she replied. She wondered how many more things they had in common. 

While walking to the restaurant, Luke had told Evelyn the story of his life. He was twenty years old and came from Arizona where his parents still lived. Both were schoolteachers. In addition, Luke had an elder brother who lived with his wife and their two kids in San Francisco.

Luke had a strong attraction to art, history, and art history. When he finished school, he decided to enroll in the Art History Department of Gotham City University. His reasons were both pragmatic and sentimental. The pragmatic part was that he had earned a scholarship from Bruce Wayne Foundation that covered his tuition fees. In addition, unemployment in Gotham city was low, and therefore finding a job was easy. 

The sentimental part had to do with Batman, the Dark Knight of Gotham City. “I always wanted to see him live. I have read so much about him.”

“Well, to see Batman, you either have to be a crime victim or a criminal”, Evelyn replied. 

“I know. I just hoped to see him in action. Have you ever seen him yourself Dr?”

“Yes, twice. The first fifteen years ago and the second eight years ago.”

Luke finished the story of his life mentioning he had never waited tables before, but he did it to cover his expenses. Fortunately, his boss was a reasonable person and allowed him a flexible work schedule that allowed him not to miss classes.

“Luke, your story is just like mine”, Evelyn said. She was not from Gotham City, and she had come at the age of eighteen to study Art History. She had worked as a waitress for years, till the day she got her degree and found a job in the University. A few years later, she had her PhD in Renaissance Art History.

At the same time, she met a man who became her husband. They had four children together, two boys and two girls. They were still together, eighteen years later.

“I hope your husband doesn't mind you are here with me Dr. I mean, I am a man and ...” Evelyn smiled.

“It is OK Luke”, she said. “My husband is not jealous. And besides he is in New York right now.”

 

The restaurant door opened. A gorgeous brunette in her late twenties entered. She had a beautiful sun tan, and she was wearing a golden dress. She was escorted by a man in his mid forties who was wearing a suit. The man was no other than Bruce Wayne, the charismatic playboy billionaire. 

The moment Bruce Wayne passed next to Luke and Evelyn, he stopped. “Dr. Ferguson! What a pleasant surprise!” he said. Both Evelyn and Luke stood up and shook hands with him. Bruce spent about half a minute talking to them before he headed to his table.

Ten minutes after he sat down, his phone rung. It was Alfred Pennyworth, his butler, his closest friend, and the only person who knew his secret identity.

“Master Wayne, some good news. The police just raided the mob hideout you were about to visit tonight. That means you will not have to prematurely end your dinner with the lovely lady.”

“Excellent news Alfred. By the way, I just talked to Dr. Ferguson. She has dinner here.”

“Dr. Ferguson. I remember. The murder of that professor eight years ago. Do you still consider her a suspect?”

“I do but I never had time to investigate. OK Alfred, goodnight. I should not let my date waiting.” 

 

“I never expected to meet Bruce Wayne. I only need to meet Batman now”, Luke said.

In fact, he had just met Batman. Because Bruce Wayne was Batman. But only his butler knew about his secret identity.

The conversation — assisted by generous quantities of wine — between Luke and Evelyn was flowing perfectly. They had a lot of common interests, they could see things in the same way in many things, and they really liked each other. Evelyn could see the spark in Luke's eyes. She wondered whether he had been in love with her for a long time. Students falling for their professors was not uncommon at all.

“It is a magnificent dinner”, Luke said and Evelyn agreed. 

The discussion kept going and the wine kept flowing. Their conversation was so easy and effortless. Soon they were to their second bottle. Their smiles were getting warmer and warmer. It was a matter of time before the compliments started.

The compliments started during midnight when Evelyn and Luke paid the bill, and went to a nearby bar for a drink. Both had drunk about a bottle of wine each, but they didn't care.

For the time being, the compliments were innocent. You are so hard-working Luke, you are so well-educated Dr. Ferguson, you are such a devoted student, you are such an influential academic, you are so polite, you are also so polite...

None of them realized the passage of time. It was four am when they both realized the bar was closing, and they were the last ones left. They had spent the last seven hours together!

Only when they exited the bar did they realize they were sleepy and tired. 

“It was great Luke. Much better than I could ever hope to expect.”

“Thank you Dr. Ferguson. I have really enjoyed it myself. I wish we ...”

Luke hesitated to continue. He is really shy, Evelyn thought. But she could understand what he wanted to say. 

“Listen Luke. I am writing a paper and I will be very busy during the following days.”

“I understand. In any case thank you for your time.” She could see the disappointment in his face. She could understand he liked her. Maybe he had a crush on her. What would she do?

“If you have time, you could pass from the cafeteria for a coffee Dr. I work afternoons this week.” It was a last ditch effort for Luke.

“I will try, but I don't promise anything”, Evelyn said. “Anyway, thank you for a great evening! I really needed a break from writing. Goodnight Luke!”

“Goodnight Dr. Ferguson.”

 

She knew she had disappointed him a bit. But what should she do? Encourage him to advance? She was a married woman. 

You barely talk with your husband anymore Evelyn. He is always busy. And you are not exactly a model wife, are you? You had lovers in the past. Especially that colleague of yours eight years ago ...

Tears fell from her eyes. Eight years ago, frustrated by a lack of even basic communication with her husband, Evelyn had started an affair with one of her colleagues. It had been her first adulterous relationship.

It hadn't gone well. The affair had traumatized her. The irony was her husband had found out about it the same night she had ended it for good.

Evelyn had to admit she liked the idea of dating Luke. Luke seemed so much better in comparison to that colleague who had proven himself an awful person.

Evelyn had other lovers during the past eight years. All of them had been short term affairs and nothing more. Their only purpose had been some temporary sexual satisfaction and a boost to her ego. But for some reason she considered Luke different. She could understand he wanted more, needed more, deserved more. And she wanted to offer more than just a few hours of physical pleasure.


	4. The Statue of Judas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn decides to meet Luke for a second time. She is still in a dilemma about what to do with him. 
> 
> What will she do?

Evelyn woke up at ten a.m. , made some coffee and got to work. Despite feeling dizzy after having drunk so much wine the previous night, she had mental clarity of a level she hadn't experienced in months.  
After a quick morning shower, Evelyn got to work. She only took breaks to eat some fruit and drink some water or coffee. She managed to concentrate hard and produce really astounding results in her work. She was impressed with herself.

It was almost eight p.m. when she stopped working for the day. She had accomplished double the workload of the previous day. Perhaps Luke had improved her morale. 

Luke. What about him? She was free to meet him if she wanted to. Her husband and her children would be away for days. And she had to admit she liked him.

So Luke could become another lover. So what? She already had told him she was married. If he didn't have problem with that, why would she? She barely talked to her husband, her marriage existed in name only, and she had a great time with Luke the night before. All things considered ... why not?

 

“You are gorgeous tonight Dr. Ferguson”, Luke said the moment he came to take an order from her. She indeed was. She had spent time carefully combing her hair, applying her most expensive perfume and even more time looking for something nice to wear. In the end she had settled to a relatively short white dress and a pair of black high heel shoes. 

“Thank you, Luke. I just finished working and I came here to relax a little.” She could see the smile on his face. And he had complimented her! 

After one hour, Luke's shift was over and Evelyn suggested they go to dinner. Luke immediately accepted. Once more they visited the Golden Shrimp.

It was another wonderful evening for both of them. And the compliments were less innocent this time. 

You have such a great style Dr., you are well-dressed too Luke, your sapphire eyes are so beautiful Dr., your brown eyes are also beautiful Luke, your perfume is so wonderful Dr., just call me Evelyn Luke ... please.

 

“So Luke, isn't your girlfriend going to be jealous for being with me and not with her?” Evelyn asked in a playful tone. They had drunk a lot again.

“I am single Dr. Fer ... Evelyn. How about you? Won't your husband be jealous?” 

“Let's say he can't be jealous for things he doesn't know about.” Evelyn looked at Luke deep in the eyes. 

“There is something you want to tell me Luke, isn't it? I can see it in your eyes.”

“Well Evelyn, I ... “ She gently touched his hand. It was as if she had touched an electrical current. I really like him, she thought.

“Luke” Evelyn said in a calm voice, “I am not accusing you for anything. But I can see there is something. Please talk to me.”

“Well Evelyn”, Luke said taking a deep breath “It appears I ... I ... like you.”

Evelyn lowered her head and took a deep breath. She looked at Luke. “Let's go for a walk.”

 

Luke and Evelyn exited the restaurant and started walking to one of Gotham's most famous places: the Twelve Apostles square. The square had taken its name from twelve statues in it, each one symbolizing a different Apostle. 

While walking Luke told Evelyn everything. He told her had been her student two semesters ago and that he had slowly developed a crush on her. He told her how much he admired her and that he had studied extra hard in order to make her a better impression in the off chance she paid any attention to him.

It had saddened Luke when he had found out Evelyn was married because that meant talking to her about his feelings to her would make her extremely uncomfortable. 

Evelyn sighed. It was a common thing for students to have a crush on their teachers or their university professors. Evelyn had noticed that with some of her students. In fact, a small number of them had even asked her for a date. In all cases, her reaction had been to politely but firmly reject their advances.

But what about Luke? He had feelings for her, and she had to admit she liked him. What would she do?

Well, there is not much to expect from your husband anymore, is it?

 

Evelyn and Luke stopped in front of one of the statues. She looked at him in the eyes.

“Luke, I am sorry, but I am a married woman. I am also a mother of four and finally I am one of your professors. Can you just imagine the pressure that would put upon me? Or the scandal in case someone finds out?”

Luke lowered his eyes. “I understand. Listen Evelyn, I am not asking you to do anything with me. I am sorry. I just upset you and...”

Evelyn gestured him to stop. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then a second one, then a third one. It was the moment to decide. 

“Luke” she said approaching him. Her faces were inches apart. She knew he would not resist her...

... and he didn't. Their kiss started as a soft one on the lips but soon became very passionate. They kept kissing and kissing in the almost empty square as if the rest of the world didn't matter, didn't exist.

“Luke” Evelyn said trying to catch her breath “I don't know if it is a good idea but I do know I really like it.”

“So do I Evelyn. But your marriage, your kids, your job?”

“Well Luke” Evelyn said with a smile. “Do you keep secrets?”

“Of course Evelyn” and he kissed her. 

 

“Now what?” he asked. 

“Time to bed Luke” she replied with a suggestive smile. 

“So soon?” he asked. “How about a drink first?” 

Inexperienced, she thought. A more experienced man would have gotten the hint.

He looked at her face again. “How about my place for the drink? I have wine, and beer.”

Maybe not so inexperienced after all.

“Lead the way Luke.” They started walking to his house, a few minutes away on foot. 

Out of curiosity, Evelyn looked at the statue they had been in front of while talking and kissing. It was so fitting she thought. Of all the twelve statues, she had kissed the man about to become her lover in front of the statue of Judas.


	5. A new beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn wakes up in Luke's apartment. She is in a dilemma between continuing and stopping.
> 
> Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne and Alfred analyze a crime Evelyn committed eight years ago when she killed her lover.
> 
> Evelyn still feels remorse about the man she killed and is hesitant to continue with Luke for fear the same will happen to him. She wants to end her affair but...

It was almost eleven a.m. when Evelyn woke up inside Luke's small apartment. Luke had already woken up and had made coffee and breakfast for both of them.

She looked around her. Luke's apartment only had a bathroom and one room with a small kitchen in one side and a bed in the other, a small couch, and three chairs. It was a spartan apartment.

The best part in Luke's apartment was the balcony. It had a magnificent view of Gotham City and was big enough for two easy chairs, a small table and some flowers. 

Evelyn looked at her lover. He was dressed with the same clothes he had worn last night. She on the other hand was still naked in bed.

Her mind drifted to the previous night. Her date with Luke, their first kiss, their kisses all the way to his apartment, their passionate night together ... 

Evelyn smiled. She hadn't had so much fun with a man in years. Luke was not an experienced lover, but he had stamina and willingness to serve her needs. 

She looked at her watch. It was ten past eleven. It was time for her to return to work. Research and paper writing were important. With some regret, Evelyn stood up and started dressing.

“Leaving so soon Evelyn?”, Luke asked. “I have made breakfast for you.”

“I will just drink the coffee, thanks”, she replied. 

“Thank you for a wonderful night Evelyn”, he said. She could see the smile on his face, his lips, his eyes, the smile of a satisfied lover.

“It was great for me too Luke”, she said with a big smile. Two minutes later, she had finished dressing and was about to leave. She drank her coffee, picked up her purse, gave Luke a soft kiss on his lips, opened the door, and left.

 

“What have I done? What have I done?” The guilt, the remorse, the questioning of her motives started the moment she left Luke's apartment. On the one hand, her marriage was practically over, and she no longer had sex with her husband. On the other hand, cheating on her husband was morally wrong.

It was not her husband that concerned her at the moment though. It was Luke. He had a soft spot for her and she had exploited it for her benefit. She had seduced him without even trying. What would she do now? Luke seemed so pure, so innocent … and she had corrupted him. She had made him sleep with her, a married woman. 

Had Evelyn been divorced and not been one of Luke's professors, everything would have been OK. What would she do now? She liked Luke, but she didn't want to harm or hurt him. 

Evelyn crossed the Twelve Apostles square, where she and Luke had shared their first kiss. It was almost noon when she stopped in front of the statue of Judas, the man who had betrayed Jesus.

Evelyn looked at the statue. It was a tall and beautiful statue, reminding her the works of great Renaissance artists like Michelangelo. Its one distinctive characteristic were its eyes. They were wide open, intense, and combined with the facial characteristics of the statue made everyone looking at them uncomfortable as if they could see the secrets of their souls.

Evelyn looked at the eyes. The eyes of Judas looked back at her. She kept looking at them for some minutes, almost hypnotized by them. Was that how the eyes of a traitor looked like?

“I will never forget your eyes Judas”, she said. “They will always remind me of my treason.” She looked at the eyes for a final time. 

“As a traitor to another, I hope you show some compassion”, she said. Then she turned around and left. 

 

“... I hope you show some compassion. I hope my lip-reading skills aren't rusty Master Wayne.”

“They are not Alfred”, Bruce Wayne replied. “I read the same thing.” Both men were inside the Batcave looked at one of the monitors.

“Amazing nobody has realized the eyes of Judas are also video cameras”, Alfred said.

“Indeed! Yet the moment you think about them it makes perfect sense. Now what do we have here? The beautiful Dr. Ferguson. Do you remember the dead professor Alfred?”

“I just rechecked this morning Master Wayne. Dr. Fineas Smith, found dead in his apartment eight years ago, stabbed in the throat. According to you sir, Dr. Ferguson had an affair with Dr. Smith and that makes her a suspect for his death. I see you revised the file last night.”

“Yes Alfred. I now consider her the only suspect. In my opinion, Dr. Ferguson killed her lover to make certain nobody would learn about her affair. And now she just seduced a young and inexperienced man.”

“Do you think the young man is in danger?”

“No Alfred, but ...”

 

The stress. The fear. The feeling you are a traitor. The need to throw up. The guilt. The tears. The hatred for yourself ...

The moment Evelyn returned home, the memories came back to her. It was like eight years ago when she went to Fineas' home to announce him their affair was over. She remembered him shouting, cursing, and threatening to phone her husband. She remembered him calling her a whore, not once but many times. She remembered herself crying and begging him to stop calling her like that. She remembered him yelling like a maniac, his face a mask of pure hatred. Finally, she remembered everything going black and then …

… him looking at her, eyes wide in surprise, a knife piercing his neck and blood flowing. 

She had run away unable to understand even after eight years how had she managed not to faint, not to throw up, not to trip and fall somewhere. She had gone home, had locked herself in her office, had drunk half a bottle of whiskey — or had it been more than that? — hoping it had all been a bad nightmare.

She remembered the following morning when she had woken up, connected to the internet and realized it all had been true. She remembered how certain she was the police would come to interrogate her and arrest her. She would claim self-defense, she had told herself again and again. But would they believe her?

The days had passed but nobody came to interrogate her. The days became weeks, the weeks months, and nothing happened. In the end, the Gotham City Police Department found out the professor frequently had sex with prostitutes and attributed his death to one of them. 

The Gotham City University upon learning about Dr. Smith's preference for prostitutes had lost all interest in the case. They stopped asking the police about the case, they named one of their lecture halls in his memory and promptly forgot about him.

Only Evelyn remembered. She had no way to know whether she was a suspect She could not ask anyone for fear she would incriminate herself. So she remained quiet and tried to forget everything.

But killing someone is never easy. For the majority of people it is a traumatic experience. Evelyn had frequent nightmares and was consumed by guilt.

 

Luke was different though. He was a nice guy and not an asshole like Fineas Smith. He would never harm her, would he? He would never object her if she asked him to break up, would he? He wouldn't object … he wouldn't …

“I seduced him, I corrupted him, I can't risk harming him”, she told herself. “I am staying away. I am just staying away. I am a married woman who loves her husband and...”

 

Evelyn looked at her smartphone. Luke's number was in it. It was so simple. She would write him an SMS announce it was all over, then she would delete his number and forget about him … forget about him … forget … about … him …

 

“LUKE I AM SORRY, I CANNOT COME TO THE CAFETERIA TONIGHT. I JUST CAN't...”

Luke's reply came two minutes later. “YOU MAY COME FROM MY HOUSE THEN. I WILL ORDER SOME PIZZAS IF YOU LIKE!”

That was not the reply Evelyn had expected. She would just say she couldn't and she …

“ORDER ONE FOR ME TOO LUKE! EXTRA CHEESE PLEASE!”

“OK Evelyn”, she told herself. “You will tell him to separate in person, right?” But she knew she wouldn't. 

 

After one more passionate night, she didn't.


	6. A professor in love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dr. Ferguson is in love with Luke. They meet each other every week, something she tries to keep secret from her husband and her children.
> 
> In addition, she starts working out and generally to take care of her body.

They say the body is a good servant but a bad master and Dr. Evelyn Ferguson had never disputed that. But sometimes you should let your body become the master.

It hadn't been logic that had led her to Luke's arms. It hadn't been her heart that had made the trick. Her heart and her mind could not make the decision for her. But her body had no qualms, it had no dilemmas, no hesitations. It only craved the pleasures her lover would offer. 

The moment the body became the master, the mind became the servant. Her mind no longer dictated the logic behind her acts, no longer bothered her with thoughts about the past. It only served the body as meeting organizer and excuse finder. And to her amazement, her mind really was good at that.

How could she meet her lover as many times as her body desired without her husband or her children learning anything about it? How could she combine her work with secret meetings with Luke? How could she train him to become a better love maker?

Her heart soon followed. She no longer was afraid of corrupting Luke. She no longer was afraid to harm him. She only wanted to love him.

The months passed and the new academic year started. Luke remained a waiter in the cafeteria, attended classes and took a keen interest in Eastern Asian Art, something Evelyn approved. It kept him occupied away from the Renaissance studies she supervised, away from suspicious eyes.

At the same time, Evelyn's sons and daughters were back in school, trying to learn and pass their classes. Her husband was the usual indifferent person he always had been for more than a decade. Evelyn had tried to convince him to go to bed with her, but he never did. 

 

It was early 2018. Evelyn was finally happy after a long time. She was in love with Luke, she could no longer deny it. Her heart was filled with joy every time she thought of him. 

Meetings between Evelyn and Luke became more and more frequent. Initially, they met each other once a week but as time passed and Evelyn became more organized, the frequency increased to twice a week.

Six months had passed from the moment she had kissed him for the first time. Six months of pure love, joy, and pleasure. Luke was so different from Fineas Smith, nice, polite, caring, friendly, and mature for his age. He loved her, he worshiped her, he did everything he could to make her happy. 

 

The fact Luke cared so much about her made Evelyn more aware about her external appearance. She always had been beautiful and stylish but now she was extra motivated. The clothes and shoes she wore were always matching, her make up was always in order, her nails were always manicured, her perfume was always in abundant quantity ... 

In addition, she decided to improve her body. Working out became something she no longer despised. Instead, she welcomed it as a beautiful addition to her life. She stopped using the elevator, she stopped using her car for short distances, and she started visiting the local spa and used its swimming pool. 

The changes were soon apparent to everyone around her … with the exception of her husband who no longer paid attention. Her colleagues and her students spent more time talking to her and were friendlier with her. They complimented her more often and the number of students who had dared to ask her for a date had actually doubled! (Of course she always said no to them). One of her colleagues, a painter had even asked her to pose as a model in his class (not naked of course!)

Luke was the happiest man in Gotham City. He knew Evelyn had improved her appearance to make him happy. He showered her with compliments every time they met, much to her delight. Evelyn usually expressed her gratitude for his compliments in bed, making love to him.

“I am the luckiest man alive”, Luke said while Evelyn was riding him. Working out had not only made her body more beautiful but also had increased her stamina, much to his delight. 

 

More months passed. Evelyn Ferguson was fully in love with young Luke. Their meetings became even more frequent, and they included other activities apart from sex in Luke's apartment. They spent time together in the movies, in bars and in small restaurants, always trying to be discreet. For security reasons they never met close to her house or inside the University. Even if they happened to see each other in the University, they simply crossed paths without talking.

 

The only downside in her relationship with Luke was her family. Her husband no longer cared about her, and he probably had an affair on his own. She didn't blame him for that though. She had started the cheating business after all. Evelyn wished she and her husband could talk. But they never did anymore.

Her children were another story. She had tried for years to be a good mother to her children. But everything would go out the window the moment her children found out her mother was in bed with Luke, a man young enough to be her son!

From all her children, it was Nikki, that worried her. At seventeen years of age, she was the eldest of them. She was also the one she mostly suspected something was amiss. Her mother had changed a lot during the last months: her clothes, her perfume, her working out session ... Did she do that to feel better as she claimed? Or did she do that to make a man happy? 

Dr. Evelyn Ferguson was not a fool. She tried really hard to cover her tracks. She knew her daughter suspected her and probably so did her husband no matter how much indifferent he looked.

“It is too late to stop now”, she told herself while driving her car for one more meeting with Luke. “I can only be careful.”


	7. To the Hospital

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn rushes to save Luke's life before it is too late.
> 
> Meanwhile, Batman and Alfred wonder whether they have misunderstood Dr. Ferguson.

February 8th 2019

 

Evelyn read the SMS for the twentieth time.

“HELP ME! I ATTEMPTED SUICIDE...” 

 

What had Luke done? Why had he done it? 

Evelyn took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. It might just be a joke, a silly joke Luke had played on her right? She would go there, scold him for his …

No, Luke was not such a person. He was an adult and behaved like one. Had her husband called Luke and scared him? Had Luke been oversensitive? After all, his parents had that car accident and …

With tears in her eyes, Evelyn used an application on her smartphone to call an ambulance to Luke's home. She also instructed the taxi driver to go to his address. 

Evelyn checked her purse, searching for the spare pair of keys Luke had given her. With trembling hands, she touched every pocket and every corner trying to find them. Where had the keys been? If she had lost them, she could not open the door and Luke … 

After many attempts, Evelyn Ferguson managed to find Luke's keys in a small pocket in her handbag. She exhaled a sigh of relief. Thirty seconds later, the taxi stopped in front of the block of flats Luke's apartment was. An ambulance was also there, having just arrived from Thomas Wayne Hospital. Evelyn observed two paramedics opening the ambulance door and carrying a stretcher with them. She rushed to meet them, only carrying the pair of keys with her and leaving everything else in the taxi.

The two paramedics were a bit shocked when they saw the well-dressed and very attractive woman running towards them. She wore no coat despite the cold, and she was barefoot despite the rain that had made the streets wet. They could also see the tears in her eyes.

“Follow me!” Evelyn said. “I have the keys to the apartment.” The two paramedics did as asked, carrying the stretcher with them. Evelyn rushed to the door and opened it with Luke's spare key and the three of them took the elevator to the floor where Luke's apartment was. It was only inside the elevator that Evelyn realized she still hadn't put her shoes and her coat on. 

The elevator reached its destination and Evelyn rushed to Luke's apartment door. The two paramedics followed her. She unlocked the door and turned the lights on. Then she saw him …

“Luke! Luke!” Luke was laying prone on the floor, vomit all around him. He was immobile. Had he just fainted? Or had his attempt to end his life succeeded? 

Evelyn tried to run towards Luke when she felt someone's arm around her hand. It was one of the paramedics. 

“Just wait for us to examine him ma'am,” the paramedic said. Evelyn nodded and the man released her. The other paramedic approached Luke and touched his wrist trying to examine him for a pulse. A few seconds later the paramedic stood up and nodded. The other paramedic approached him carrying the stretcher.

“Is he alive? Please?” Evelyn asked. The tears had returned. With well practiced moves the two paramedics picked Luke up from the floor, put him on the stretcher, and started moving towards the apartment exit. One of them looked at Dr. Ferguson.

“He is alive, but we must hurry,” he said. “It is a matter of minutes.” Evelyn's heart sunk. But there was nothing she could do. 

Four minutes later, the ambulance reached its destination and the paramedics rushed Luke to an intensive care unit. Two minutes later, Evelyn entered the hospital as well, this time wearing her shoes and her coat. 

 

Evelyn never realized that from the moment she left the room where Bruce Wayne was making his speech to the moment she entered the hospital a man had followed her. The man parked his car, locked it, and entered Thomas Wayne Hospital. Upon entering the hospital he looked at his left and saw Evelyn Ferguson talking to the secretary in the reception. 

“No, he is not a relative. Does it really matter what relationship do I have with him?” 

“Yes, Ferguson with one s, not double. Yes, I will pay for the medical expenses. Let me check my account number,” she said checking her smartphone. The secretary asked some more questions.

“Yes, I will pay for extra medical exams if necessary. Just notify me please. Please.” The man could see the tears in the woman's eyes. That surprised him. He decided to call his employer for further instructions.

 

Bruce Wayne had just finished his speech. It had been a small one, barely ten minutes long. While an art history professor was speaking about some obscure matter he really didn't care about, Bruce's phone rang. He knew it was impolite to talk to the phone in such an occasion but the call came from Alfred, his most trusted friend and one of the few people who knew his secret identity.

“What? Crying? Are you sure Alfred?”

 

While Evelyn was trying to calm herself down and have some coffee from an automatic coffee machine, Alfred followed Bruce Wayne's instructions and approached the secretary to ask some questions. It was not hard for him to do so: Evelyn was out of sight and out of earshot and the secretary knew him, and she was reliable and wiling to tell him everything he requested.

“I've just checked the system Mr. Pennyworth,” the secretary told Alfred. “Dr. Evelyn Ferguson – that is the name of the woman — was the one who called us. And the doctors said Luke would be dead by now if she hadn't rushed to find him.”

“In other words, she saved his life,” Alfred said.

“Yes. But there is something that bothers me Mr. Pennyworth.” She lowered her voice and looked around to see if Evelyn could see or hear them. 

“She was worried as hell about that man. She was crying and was almost hysterical. And the man was half her age, young enough to be her son.”

“What does that mean?” Alfred asked. 

“A woman only suffers like that if the man in question is her son … or if the man is her lover.”

 

Unaware of the conversation between Alfred and the secretary, Evelyn tried to drink some coffee and calm her nerves. Her hands were trembling, and she almost dropped the coffee cup. With a lot of effort she managed to put the cup to her lips and drink from it.

 

About twenty minutes later, a man entered the hospital. He was no other than Bruce Wayne, the celebrity billionaire of Gotham City and founder of Thomas Wayne Hospital, dedicated to the loving memory of his father. Alfred was waiting for him.

“How was your speech Master Wayne?” Alfred asked. 

“Nothing special. Fortunately, nobody cared. They came for the other speakers … and for the buffet.” 

“I suppose the reason you came here is about Dr. Ferguson”, Alfred said.

“Yes. How is she?”

“She is trembling and she is crying. She has spent the last half hour in the coffee machine in shock. Her lover is in intensive care. But she is not to blame. He poisoned himself while she was attending your speech.” 

“So she has an alibi. But what if she manipulated him to commit suicide. What if she told him she no longer loves him?”

“It seems unlikely Mater Wayne. It was she who called the hospital and opened the doors to his house using keys she already had.”

That surprised Bruce Wayne. How could someone who ruthlessly killed her lover to make him shut up be so concerned about another lover? Had he been wrong about her? He made a mental note to recheck her case.

“Let's go Alfred. I'll return to the morning to plant a bug in the young man's room.”

“That is not exactly legal Master Wayne,” Alfred said.

“Don't worry Alfred,” Bruce replied. “We won't tell anyone.” Alfred sighed. His boss had broken the law so many times trying to fight crime. Maybe he was up to something.


End file.
